Page 77 of Close to My Heart

“I’ve been wanting to tell you how I?—”

A cry rang out.

I turned to see where Grandmother was, but there was a crowd of people. I couldn’t see her. From the looks of horror on the guests’ faces, something had happened. Was it Grandma? Was she okay?

I moved away from Wes, hurrying to my mother. “What’s going on?”

“She collapsed. She was fine one minute, talking to me, and then she just wilted. It happened so quick.”

I wanted to ask her what they’d been talking about. Had mother made demands that were too much for her heart? Was she under a lot of stress?

Mom fell to her knees next to Grandmother, trying to shake her awake. Dad pulled out his phone and called for an ambulance.

Wes appeared next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I felt weak, as if I couldn’t hold myself up.

If something happened to Grandmother before she got what she wanted, what would happen? A chill ran through me. I didn’t like the idea of being at odds with my mother, but looking back, we didn’t agree on much.

She wanted me to dress a certain way, date a certain guy, but I almost never fell in line. I wanted my own things, and Grandma was the only one who saw it, and didn’t try to stifle it.

It felt like time was moving slow. I saw the shocked look on the guests’ faces, heard the siren as the ambulance pulled up, the flash of the red lights on the wall.

Dad’s eyes were wide. “She was fine one minute, talking to your mother. Then she just fell.”

My mouth was dry, my head buzzing. I felt sick and lightheaded at the same time.

“Is it her heart? She’s always had a bad one.” We knew the end game was heart failure. But I couldn’t believe it was now. She was adamant that the marriage had to happen soon, but had she known something we didn’t? “I should have asked her more questions. But she’s always been private about health stuff.”

“It’s not your fault.” Wes’s hand rested on the small of my back, a comfort as the paramedics raced inside the house, the crowd parting for them.

Immediately, someone from the fire department tried to get the crowd to give them room, to go outside. I sprang into action. I couldn’t help my grandmother right now, but I could be useful.

I urged everyone to go home. The party was over, and we’d let them know how she was doing. I felt numb. In my periphery, I noticed Wes doing the same with the other side of the room. As soon as people realized everyone was leaving, it was easier.

The paramedics loaded Grandmother into the back of the ambulance. She looked so small on the gurney. I’d always seen her as bigger than life, but she was frail.

Someone barked out the hospital they were going to, and the ambulance pulled away.

“I need to go.”

“I’ll take you.” Wes guided me to the valet, who ran to get the truck. Within minutes, he was back, and we settled into the cab.

“Are you okay?” Wes asked as he pulled down the lane and onto the road.

“Not really.” I felt numb, as if I was moving through a dense fog and couldn’t see.

“She’ll be okay.” His hand landed on my thigh.

I curled my fingers over his hand. “She might not be.”

“Whatever happens, we’ll get through this.”

It was good to know I had someone by my side. But if something happened to my grandmother, not only would I lose the one person in my family who seemed to understand me, I’d lose Wes too. There was no reason to keep up this charade if she died. Our marriage satisfied the stipulation of the will, and I’d inherit the house with enough cash to run it for the foreseeable future. Mom and Dad would receive a decent stipend, and if they were smart, they’d be okay.

I was conflicted. I didn’t want my grandmother to die, and I didn’t want my marriage to be over. But I hadn’t said or done anything to keep Wes. He didn’t know how I felt, and now wasn’t the right time.

19

WES

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